But in the wake of Paul Kirk's appointment as a temporary replacement for the late Senator Ted Kennedy -- which gives the party 60 caucusing members -- leadership and allied Democratic groups have renewed their hopes that the Nebraskan would commit to voting for cloture, the 60-vote hurdle that would allow health care to be considered by up-or-down vote.
Mr Bremer wants a series of provincial caucuses, with members vetted by the CPA, to select delegates.
The formation of the caucus marks a hugely significant moment for minority communities as it is the first of 430 registered congressional caucuses and member organizations that is specifically designed to make black women and girls a priority. .
Together the two caucuses have 56 members, all Democrats.
He could trumpet success in the war on red tape waged by Mr Juncker's deputy, Frans Timmermans, and in preventing euro-zone members caucusing against the rest.
On the night of the Iowa caucuses, a staff member attracted scowls from airport security as he danced through the pat downs and wanding.
British ministers do not want the euro area members caucusing together without Britain, in advance of big decisions.Mr Cameron is to fly to Berlin later this week to make his pitch to Mrs Merkel that Britain is still a key ally.
On the orders of L. Paul Bremer III, the chief American administrator in Iraq, the provincial councils in most of Iraq's 18 governorates were to hold caucuses to choose new members.
The debate over the timetable for general elections has upset White House plans for transferring sovereignty by June 30, particularly since Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the country's most powerful Shiite cleric, insisted on direct elections of assembly members, not caucuses as proposed by the Americans.
In recent months, he has challenged the Americans by insisting that the country hold direct elections for a national assembly rather than chose the members through caucuses, as the Americans have proposed.. American leaders say holding elections before June 30, the deadline they have set for turning over power to Iraqis, is impractical.
